Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples added as assistant Ryder Cup captains

ATLANTA — Phil Mickelson is returning for his 13th consecutive Ryder Cup, this clip without his clubs.

Mickelson fills retired the roster of 5 adjunct captains to Steve Stricker for the American squad that tries to triumph the cupful backmost from Europe astatine Whistling Straits connected Sept. 24-26.

Fred Couples besides was announced arsenic an adjunct Wednesday, joining Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson and Davis Love III.

“I’ve been staying successful adjacent interaction with some Freddie and Phil, talking astir each things Ryder Cup, for a portion now,” Stricker said. “They supply honorable and impactful feedback, and some person specified a passionateness for the Ryder Cup. I’m honored that they were consenting to articulation our squad and assistance enactment america successful the champion presumption to triumph successful a fewer weeks astatine Whistling Straits.”

Mickelson said connected Twitter helium was “humbled and honored” and hopes to assistance successful immoderate way.

He had played successful each Ryder Cup since going 3-0 astatine Oak Hill successful 1995 — the twelvemonth earlier Tiger Woods turned pro — and holds the grounds for astir appearances by either team. In his 12 appearances arsenic a player, the Americans won 3 times.

The six-time large champion was a large portion of the Ryder Cup task unit that was formed aft the 2014 nonaccomplishment astatine Gleneagles, wherever Mickelson successful the closing quality league questioned the PGA of America and the captain, Tom Watson, for getting distant from a exemplary that worked.

From that task force, players had much accidental successful choosing captains, and the program going guardant was to service arsenic an adjunct earlier becoming captain. Also, the departing skipper would beryllium 1 of the assistants astatine the adjacent Ryder Cup to physique continuity.

Wednesday’s announcements mean Woods won’t beryllium astatine Whistling Straits arsenic an adjunct — that seemed improbable fixed his injuries from the February car clang — due to the fact that teams are constricted to 5 adjunct captains.

Couples was announced inadvertently Sunday by Patrick Cantlay, who clinched the sixth and last automatic spot connected the U.S. squad by winning the BMW Championship.

“Fred Couples texted maine this week and said it looks similar he’s going to beryllium 1 of the adjunct captains, and truthful he’ll beryllium up there,” Cantlay said.

It volition beryllium the 2nd clip Couples is an adjunct skipper astatine the Ryder Cup. He besides served nether Love astatine Medinah successful 2012, and helium was among the astir fashionable U.S. captains for the Presidents Cup. He led 3 consecutive matches, each victories.